Standards changes for ambulatory surgical centers that use deemed status.

Medicaid Services (CMS) published changes to several Medicare Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). The changes modify previous language that required ASCs to provide patients’ rights information to patients “prior to the date of their surgical procedure.” Based on feedback from ASCs, CMS determined that the previous regulatory language was overly restrictive in that it did not allow ASCs to continue to routinely perform same-day surgeries. The language also potentially affected a patient’s ability to obtain an elective, same-day, nonemergent surgical procedure. To align its requirements with CMS’s revisions to the CfCs, The Joint Commission revised three elements of performance (EPs) relevant to deemed-status ASCs in the ambulatory care accreditation program. The revised Leadership (LD) Standard LD.04.02.01, EP 6, and Rights and Responsibilities of the Individual (RI) Standards RI.01.01.03, EP 4, and RI.01.05.01, EP 7, are effective immediately and shown in the box below; new text is underlined and deletions are noted in strikethrough. These revisions will appear in the 2012 Update 1 to the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Ambulatory Care and the E-dition®, scheduled for publication in spring 2012. For more information, contact Joyce Webb, RN, BSN, MBA, CMPE, project director, Department of Standards and Survey Methods, at [email protected] or 630/792-5277. P Standards Changes for Ambulatory Surgical Centers That Use Deemed Status